All the Highlights from CES 2015

This week we’re having a bit of departure from our usual blog post by bringing you the news from the more personal, consumer side of the technology spectrum. Surely some of you have heard about the Consumer Electronics Show that is held annually in Las Vegas. The convention is the world’s largest consumer electronics showcase of the latest in technology and for three days from the 6th of January it covered major product announcements and sneak previews into next-generation gadgets and devices.

Featuring everything from self-driving smart cars to home appliances and state-of-the-art televisions, the excitement at CES 2015 was high, with visitors flocking to social media to share their opinions. Samsung dominated social media this year, with over 18,000 tweets mentioning the company, and when you look at the diverse range of products they showcased, it’s no surprise why.

The tech giant demonstrated their virtual reality headset, as well as the runaway star of the show: their range of 4K televisions. 4K TVs were a huge hit this year, with Panasonic also bringing their version of the ultra HD TV to the table. To break it down, a 4K TV contains over four times the usual amount of pixels that you’d find in an HD TV, making the picture four times as crisp, and they’re set to be the biggest new innovation in audio-visuals.

Intel was also represented at CES and announced their micro ‘Curie’ computer, reversible Type-C USB cable (fantastic news for all computer enthusiasts) and spider robot hexapods that definitely resemble something from a science fiction movie.

Panasonic revealed plans for an in-flight entertainment unit that automatically recognises passengers and their preferences as they board the aircraft. Does this mean we can sit down on a plane and watch our favourite TV shows without hesitation? If so, count us in!

Audi told visitors about their production ready self-driving A7 that was embarking on a 550 mile trek from San Francisco to Las Vegas while the show was taking place. In addition to this, they showcased their first smartwatch by summoning the car onto the stage by using the device.

An interesting thing to note is how many of the devices shown covered the more mundane aspects of life. While 4K TVs and self-driving cars are incredible technological steps forward, the price tags are likely to be sky high, making them initially unattainable for the average consumer. So, what about the innovations that are likely to be more affordable?

A few of the more accessible items featured included smart dog collars that allow you to communicate remotely with your pooch, a new fitness tracker from Garmin and a belt that ‘shames’ users into losing weight. It sounds like a slightly drastic approach to fitness but, hey, we’ll have to wait until it hits the market to see how it takes off.

Meanwhile, Smarter might have answered every over-worked business person’s prayers by announcing their Wi-Fi Coffee Machine, which can be triggered by a smartphone to greet you in the morning with a fresh cup of coffee – sounds a little bit like a modern day Teasmade, doesn’t it?

We’re all into technology whether or not we recognise just how much we use it. On a day-to-day basis, Gradwell works to make technology better for its business customers and that’s no different than the consumer world really – we all want better products and services from companies that really drive innovation.